getting trapped inside a park

[strikeu]

I've searched the different forums and haven't found any stories about this, but this question doesn't just apply to fifth wheels, it could apply to any rig :

has anyone pulled into an unfamiliar park, only to find out their rig is too large to maneuver through and get out? if so how did you do it?

we recently visited a state park, and I just moved from Washington where there are several state parks near where we lived. we drove in without our rig, which was a GOOD thing because if I had been pulling my fiver there was NO way we would have gotten out. switchback roads, trees lining the very narrow drive. deception pass state park comes to mind, on the island side. I think there is a sign or some literature that limits trailers to 20 ft, but if you didn't know that and pulled in...you're screwed, you're not getting out.

[Hammerboy]

Allworth wrote:
I have never found that driving over the grass hurt either the truck or the trailer.

Until you get stuck. Ask me how I know.

Dan

[Allworth]

I have never found that driving over the grass hurt either the truck or the trailer.

[Lon-Str]

So far I have found that if I could get in, I could get out, but not always easy. Several years ago I pulled in just before dark, to a campground in Nebraska. After a long day I was tired and ready roost for the night. The manager said he would go get the golf cart and for me to follow him when he came back by.

Shortly after, a golf cart came zooming by and I tried to fall in behind. The road soon turned into a pig trail and the cart disappeared. It took some really heavy back and forward to get the rig turned around. I was pretty hot when I got back to find the manager standing in the road. Before I could say a word. he said " those **** kids stole my golf cart again " All I could do was to laugh.

[mockturtle]

The only time I was trapped inside a park was when I had a larger RV and the idiot across from me had his dualie parked in front of his site and I didn't have enough room to get out without driving over the grass. Actually, this happened more than once.

[bpounds]

It's one of the reasons I try to avoid pulling in a camp after dark. You should be able to back out of anything you drive into. But every difficult maneuver becomes 3 times more difficult in the dark. I've been known to spend the night in a rest stop or a parking lot within a few miles of our destination, just so I could park and setup the next morning after daylight. And well rested when attempting it.

[Travlingman]

We went to a COE park in Ga. Called before I made reservations, park host said no issues with a big rig. Made to or site, no issues. I walked down to look at the turn around area and didn't see how my 40' fiver would make it. Short turn around, trees, sloped to outside of turn. A guy across the street had a big toy hauler about my size and to get to his site he had used the turn around. I asked how he did it. Said to go in the out loop and then take my truck off the pavement onto the grass going toward lake as much as I could and make sure I had bed rail clearance as it sloped off pretty bad. Said to make sure and watch trailer swing because of 1 tree that didn't have alot of bark left on it that people hadn't watched. Said when I got up to the site that was in the corner to pull the marker sign out of the ground to give myself more room to pull truck around. Came the morning to leave and it rained during the night making the grass where I was to pull slick. I figured this was a sign from above that I didn't need to use the turn around which I really wasn't thrilled about trying. I ended up backing out over a 1/4 mile.

[ppine]

Kind of like wearing shoes that are too small.

[colliehauler]

Downunda wrote:
Happened to us also... we were at a beachside state park and the ranger sent us to the wrong area, before we knew it we were on a narrow sandy track with no way of turning around. We ended up bogged to our axles in soft sand. Fortunately another camper with a decent 4x4 and recovery gear kindly pulled us out. It was our first RV trip after retiring. We learned a very valuable lesson... if unsure walk in first even if it means a long walk.

Very good advice and have walked if any doubt to make sure no low branches or narrow passages. After driving for awhile it feels good to stretch the legs anyway.

[dapperdan]

I love it when you get to a campground/park and the host/attendent says "you should be able to make it"....... Happened to us a few times, a couple of times we ended up using reverse. :B
Thank God I'm comfortable backing up the rig, for some it's a rather daunting task!

When making reservations our first question is "we have a 38' fifth wheel, can your place accommodate our size RV?"

Dan

[Downunda]

Happened to us also... we were at a beachside state park and the ranger sent us to the wrong area, before we knew it we were on a narrow sandy track with no way of turning around. We ended up bogged to our axles in soft sand. Fortunately another camper with a decent 4x4 and recovery gear kindly pulled us out. It was our first RV trip after retiring. We learned a very valuable lesson... if unsure walk in first even if it means a long walk.

[solman]

Many years ago we had a 34 foot class A motorhome. While traveling to a new to us campground in Pa. after dark our gps sent us down a narrow dirt road to no where. After about a 1/4 mile I called the campground. They were surprised that the gps was still making the same mistake.
Fortunately I had a backup camera on that camper and was able to back out out without too much problem. With a trailer or no camera I would have been in a big hassle.
Another time with this same motorhome I reached a low overpass with no way to turn around. I backed up a ways and used the parking lot of a private golf course to make my was out.

[colliehauler]

What I do find amusing about this thread is the number of people who chime in when someone ask if a 35' trailer is to big for some parks and they say no problems. Well evidently in some parks it is a problem.

[laknox]

Fisher Bill wrote:
And if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice...

gbopp wrote:
You can check out any time you like,
But you can never leave.

Someone should make a song with that phrase. 🙂

plus ca change plus ce la meme chose

Lyle

[Yosemite_Sam1]

Seems everyday occurrence on tight national park campsites.

[strikeu]

BarabooBob wrote:
Peninsula State Park in Door County Wisconsin has a turn around at the entrance that is impossible for anything longer than a 20 ft trailer. If you pull in and for some reason decide to leave, you have to drive into the park quite a way to get turned around. If you go against the instructions that are posted at the turn around, you will hit either a large rock or a tree. I have seen it often. One time I watched a tow truck skid a 5r sideways to get it out of the turn.
If you go into the park about a half mile, there is a nice turn around.

that sounds like the McDonald's drive thru...if you don't order, you're still screwed by having to go through the drive